Sausage and cheese stuffed acorn squash

Winter squashes are the bomb and I love them just baked with a little butter and maple syrup, but today I wanted them stuffed. And creamy. Imagine if biscuits and gravy, Thanksgiving stuffing and fondue had a love child. This would be it. This is serious comfort food and will make you forget all about that boy/girl who dumped you at the 7^th grade dance. I promise.

Yum

Ingredients:

3 acorn squash, cut in half through the stem and seeded (I’ve got Golden Acorn and Gold Nugget)

4 cups crusty bread, torn into half inch pieces (like French or Italian)

8 ounces pork sausage (half of a roll—use either mild or spicy)

½ of a medium onion, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced

2 Tablespoons of flour

2 cups milk

1 to 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (your call—I’m using sharp cheddar, but gruyere, jack or harvati would be great)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Fresh sage and thyme to garnish

Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the squash, cut side down, on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Place them cut side up in a large baking dish and set aside.

Place the torn bread on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Put the toasted bread into a largish mixing bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook the sausage until no longer pink. Add in the onion and celery and cook for 2 minutes more. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and veg and stir. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken. Add in the cheese and stir until combined. Season with salt, pepper, sage and thyme.

Pour the sausage/cheese mixture over the bread and stir to combine. Stuff the squash halves full and then place a bit of water in the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the top of the stuffing starts to turn golden.